Wellington Phoenix head coach Paul Temple feels like his side have been robbed.
Sydney FC have scored from their only two shots on target, late in each half, to beat the Phoenix 2-1 at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney.
The Sky Blues scored the match-winner in the eighth minute of time added on, nearly quarter of an hour after the Nix had been reduced to 10 players when defender Tiana Jaber received a second yellow card.
“It feels like a massive injustice,” Temple said post-match. “We deserved to win the game.
“We at least deserved to get away with a point with what we put into it. It feels like we’ve been robbed really.
“So much to be proud of in terms of what the team did and how we played and how we had to wrestle through different parts of the game.
“And also so much frustration and disappointment with how we handled the last five minutes of the game when we should have consolidated our point and taken it away.
“We just didn’t defend very well at all really when we had 10 players. The structure went a bit out the window.
“We need to really grow as a team and learn in those situations and understand that taking a point out of here in the circumstances would have been the least we deserved, but now we go away with nothing.”
The defeat leaves the Phoenix eighth on the ladder and two points outside the top six with four matches remaining.
Temple believes their finals hopes are “in the balance”.
“We’re certainly not out of it but realistically we’ve got to win at least three, probably all four of the last four games to really put ourselves in a position where we get in.
“It will also be dependent on what else happens around the league because there are certainly results which are throwing things wide open.
“We missed our chance to get in the six tonight but we’re still close and there’s no reason why we can’t still make it.
“We’ve got to put the wins together and we’ve got to back ourselves to win our home games now and see if we can get something on the road in Canberra.”
Paul Temple named the same XI which started last Sunday’s come-from-behind win over Western Sydney Wanderers. There was one change on the bench with fit-again forward Grace Jale returning in place of versatile midfielder Amelia Abbott. Jaber was named to make her 50th A-League appearance.
The Phoenix made a bright start, dominating possession for the opening quarter of an hour.
Rookie Sydney ‘keeper Jasmine Black made two impressive saves in the first five minutes to deny right and left-footed shots from Manaia Elliott
Wellington goalkeeper Carolina Vilão was only required to use her feet in the opening exchanges. She was quick off her line in the 14th minute to deny the Sky Blues their first shot at goal when forward Mackenzie Hawkesby slipped in behind the Nix defence.
Sydney made it tougher for the Phoenix to get into the final third after the first cooling break and had their first shot in the 28th minute blocked by Alivia Kelly.
The Nix pushed for the breakthough in the final 15 minutes of the first half.
Alyssa Whinham had a shot from the edge of the box well saved by Black and the young ‘keeper punched away a threatening cross from Emma Main as Olivia Fergusson was bearing down on her.
Deep in first half stoppage time the Sky Blues took the lead with their first shot on target when Madeleine Caspers cut into the box and squeezed a shot past Vilão.
The Phoenix struggled to create anything before the first cooling break of the second half and Temple responded by making a double substitution, bringing on Zoe McMeeken and Jale in place of Daisy Brazendale and Whinham. It allowed Maya McCutcheon to move into midfield.
The changes had their desired effect with the subs bringing more energy to Wellington’s performance.
Annalie Longo burst into the Sydney box midway through the second and chipped Black but her shot curled narrowly wide of goal.
Jasmine Black made a spectacular fingertip save moments later to push a shot from Elliott on to her bar. Main was unable to keep her follow up on target.
Black made a more regulation save in the 70th minute to deny Fergusson who bounced a header goalward after McMeeken delivered a threatening cross.
The Nix got their reward five minutes later when Longo drove out of midfield and slipped through a pass to Elliott, who this time beat Black.
The Phoenix pushed for the match-winner after drawing level, but their task was made more difficult when Jaber was sent off in the 85th minute after receiving a second yellow card.
Despite going down to 10 players Wellington looked the most likely to score a second.
McCutcheon chipped a near post corner narrowly over the bar in the first minute of stoppage time and Black did well to save a classy turn and shot from Main moments later.
The young ‘keeper also managed to punch clear a threatening corner and then follow-up cross from Longo.
Substitute Princess Ibini then won it for Sydney in the eighth minute of time added on when she curled a shot around Vilão after the Sky Blues caught the 10-player Nix on the break.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow and quickly turn their attentions to next Saturday’s match against Central Coast Mariners at Porirua Park.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk), 3. Tiana JABER, 5. Alivia KELLY, 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 9. Olivia FERGUSSON (19. Liv INGHAM 87th), 10. Alyssa WHINHAM (7. Grace JALE 64th), 11. Manaia ELLIOTT (14. Mebae TANAKA 83rd), 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE (2. Zoe MCMEEKEN 64th), 16. Annalie LONGO (c), 20. Emma MAIN, 21. Lara WALL.
Unused substitutes: 13. Brooke NEARY (gk).
Sydney FC: 13. Jasmine BLACK (gk), 4. Tori TUMETH, 6. Shay HOLLMAN, 12. Natalie TOBIN (c), 14. Abbey LEMON, 15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY, 16. Jordan THOMPSON, 21. Lucy JOHNSON (7. Millie FARROW 81st), 22. Indiana DOS SANTOS, 24. Caley TALLON-HENNIKER (9. Shea CONNORS 70th), 26. Madeleine CASPERS (20. Princess IBINI 81st).
Unused substitutes: 28. Bethany MASON-JONES (gk), 3. Faye BRYSON.
Goals:
26. Madeleine CASPERS (Sydney FC) – 45+4
11. Manaia ELLIOTT (Wellington Phoenix) – 75th
20. Princess IBINI (Sydney FC) – 90+8
Cards:
3. Tiana JABER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 56th & yellow/red – 85th
